North Shore mourns the loss of seven people after a Gloucester-based commercial fishing vessel was lost at sea late last week off the coast.
The Lily Jean, a 72-foot commercial fishing dragger homeported in Gloucester, was operating about 25 miles east of Cape Ann early Friday when its emergency position-indicating radio beacon activated. The Coast Guard attempted to contact the vessel but received no response. No distress call was reported.
Weather conditions at the time included strong winds, rough seas, and near-freezing air and water temperatures. While demanding, the conditions were consistent with winter fishing weather commonly encountered by offshore vessels operating out of Gloucester and other North Shore ports.
The U.S. Coast Guard initiated a search involving aircraft, cutters, and other assets launched from the region. Crews searched continuously over several days, covering a broad area of ocean east of Cape Ann under conditions that complicated search efforts and reduced survival expectations.
Responders later located debris believed to be associated with the Lily Jean, along with an inflatable life raft that was found unoccupied. One person was recovered from the water and pronounced dead. No additional survivors were located.
Seven people were aboard the vessel. Those lost include Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a Gloucester fisherman with deep family ties to the industry; Paul Beal Sr. and Paul Beal Jr., a father and son who worked together as crew members; John Paul Rousanidis, 33, of Salem; Sean Therrien, 44, of Peabody; Freeman Short, of the South Shore; and Jada Samitt, 22, a NOAA fisheries observer assigned to the trip.
After several days without further findings, the Coast Guard suspended active search operations. Officials cited elapsed time, water temperature, and weather exposure in determining that the likelihood of survival had passed. The decision followed standard maritime search and rescue procedures.
The loss has been widely felt in Gloucester and across the North Shore, where commercial fishing is tied to local identity and family history. Gloucester, recognized as America’s oldest fishing port, has a long record of maritime casualties dating back centuries.
Over the weekend following the suspension of the search, memorial gatherings were held, including along the waterfront and at area churches. Fishing vessels in Gloucester Harbor marked the loss, and flags were lowered in remembrance.
An investigation into the incident remains underway. Authorities have said they will review available tracking data, weather conditions, and vessel information to determine the circumstances that led to the activation of the emergency beacon and the vessel’s disappearance.
The Lily Jean has not been recovered. The names of those lost are expected to be added to Gloucester’s official record of fishermen who have died at sea.